Howard County Has Maryland's Highest Median Income

WASHINGTON - Maryland was one of three states to show increasing inequality in income distribution between 2008 and 2009, although the gap between rich and poor areas stayed the same nationally, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday.
 
Howard County had the state's highest median household income at $101,940 in 2009, while Allegany County came in last at $36,491 among Maryland counties surveyed, according to 2009 American Community Survey data, which only includes areas with populations of 65,000 or more.
 
The Census Bureau collected data from 15 of Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore City and reported the $65,449 gap. Baltimore City's median household income was $38,772.
 
Maryland is statistically tied with New Jersey and Alaska for the highest median household income in the country, despite a slight decrease from $69,844 in 2008 to $69,272 in 2009, the Census Bureau reported.
 
While 35.9 percent of Maryland households earned less than $50,000, the rest earned more, according to the Census Bureau.
 
Maryland's median household income topped Virginia's $50,221 and D.C.'s $59,290. The national average was $59,330.
 
The country was in an economic recession during about half the time period used by the census. The recession, which began in December 2007, ended in June 2009, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. In 2009, Maryland's unemployment rate rose by 2.7 percent to 8 percent, according to census data.

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